Autotune - ing the stars

[snakeskinboots]

Do people who don't record hear it?

I think that the overwhelming majority of people listening to popular music don't even know that it exists.

I know two singers that used to sing in the old Kirk Franklin and "God's Property" choir thing and I was ranting about auto-tune to them, they said, "oh, yeah, a special mike". These are two professional singers and they honestly believed that it was a special microphone that did the tuning. If they don't know what it is or how it works, it's probably safe to assume that most people don't have a clue that it's even out there.

[squizo]

the masons hear it




totally

[JGriffin]

the masons hear it




totally

[GodDamn]

I have never liked the sound of the vocal post-autotune, regardless of how out of tune the vocal is.

An absolute ABORTION is the chorus of "everythings magic" by angels and airwaves. If your not sure what autotune sounds like... have a listen.

[lg]

So I'm not the only one that can hear it, then?

OK, how about this:
For the Autotune-sesitive among you, who would agree that the new Plant/Krauss collaboration might not unfairly be dubbed 'Raising Pitch'?

You're not the only one. Seems like every other song on the radio has been A-Ted. And the ones that haven't are from 1992 or earlier.

If they A-T'ed Allison Krauss then... I don't know what to say.

in re raising sand, i think it's possible you guys may be hearing into things a bit. i did notice something going on with plant's vocals for 'polly come home', but it doesn't sound quite like AT to me. whatever it is it certainly doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the recordings or the performances. as for alison's vocals, i don't hear it anywhere, quite honestly. to me, in the case of this record at least, the subject of AT is a bit like looking for flaws in a beautiful woman. why would you do that?

[Young Winston]

looking for flaws in a beautiful woman. why would you do that?

So you don't feel so bad about the fact that she won't date you.

[RefD]

looking for flaws in a beautiful woman. why would you do that?

So you don't feel so bad about the fact that she won't date you.

most of the women i consider beautiful have flaws...it's part of what makes them beautiful.

but then i don't like airbrushed/Frodoshopped photos either.

[Galen Ulrich Elfert]

No doubt, autotune has made a significant contribution to the mediocrity of contemporary pop music. I would argue, however, that the market is ultimately to blame; autotune is just the latest manifestation of a phenomenon that has been around for as long as hit records have been a profitable commodity.
That said, I think the abuse of autotune, so enthusiastically embrassed by urban music producers, sounds pretty sick when it's done right, and will probably be one of the most important signifiers for this decade in pop music. Like 21st century doowop, or something.
Seriously, can't get enough of that Lollipop.

[punk]

what about when people used to slow down tape to hit the high notes?
thats been around for a long time and that really irks me.

motley crue too fast for love has chipmunk singing through the title track.
has anyone else noticed that?

i guess i get what i deserve for listening to them anyway...

that miley sirus (i think that her name) song has so much auto tune...
but really its not made for real people anyway, thats for people going to the office in their cars while talking on the iphone.

[germaniac]

I doubt many vocalists, even the very best, can land on a note and sustain it without any vibrato whatsoever with the kind of inhuman precision I hear on recordings all the time. Even if a person really could sing like that, it would be merely freakish rather than musical. I think Ben Folds said it best: "Some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks. . . ."

Regards,
Joe

[Tears of Rage]

I think Ben Folds said it best: "Some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks. . . ."

sham on

[Tears of Rage]

J-Lo Box

sounds hot

[JGriffin]

what about when people used to slow down tape to hit the high notes?
thats been around for a long time and that really irks me.

motley crue too fast for love has chipmunk singing through the title track.
has anyone else noticed that?
.

Amen, brotha!

[mRG]

I once returned to a studio having been out for lunch to find the producer of the session auto-tuning my vocals. I was only doing some little demos, he put forward the view that everyone else is doing it, so we'd better. I get the feeling that's magnified loads as you go further up the scale and there's actually big money riding on stuff. "everyone else is, so we'd better too". "what if we don't do it and it doesn't sell? it'll be all because we didn't autotune ..."

It got removed anyway, the fact I sound like someone's shaking me up and down when I sing anyway was sending AT haywire.

Actually, all my less positive experiences with producers have always been couched in terms of 'well we'd be silly not to try it'. It's very rare anybody ever says 'we'd be silly to try it'. Interesting. I'd love to hear that once in a while.

[lg]

So you don't feel so bad about the fact that she won't date you.

hm... yeah, i guess you're right.